BPA tied to thyroid changes in baby boys

Scientists have linked bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-like compound, to changes in thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women and newborn boys.

“Most of the women and newborns in our study had thyroid hormone levels within a normal range, but when we consider the impact of these results at a population level, we get concerned about a shift in the distribution that would affect those on the borderline,” says lead author Jonathan Chevrier, a research epidemiologist at UC Berkeley.

“In addition, studies suggest that small changes in thyroid level, even if they’re within normal limits, may still have a cognitive effect.”